UNLV spring football report: Day 13

UNLV’s football team practiced in shorts Wednesday as the Rebels near the end of the spring session. Coach Tony Sanchez hopes to develop enough depth on the offensive line to have nine players in the rotation.

UNLV coach Tony Sanchez, on Day 13 of spring football practices Wednesday at Rebel Park:

“It wasn’t bad today. I would like to see a little more consistency in the passing game. I thought (sophomore quarterback) Armani (Rogers) struggled a little bit. He just got a little lethargic and was a little better at the end. … We’re coming down toward the end of spring ball, so we were wearing shorts today, helmets only on Friday. The biggest thing is keeping them engaged. The biggest problem we’ve had is finishing. That’s gotten in our way the last couple of years, so we’ve got to show we’re mature enough to have a great (weight) lift tomorrow, have a really good practice on Friday in just helmets and communicate and execute well on Saturday, I want to see them finish well.”

Notes

— The Rebels’ practice Friday is the day before the spring game, and Sanchez said the first hour will be a typical workout.

“Then the last 20 minutes, we’re going to go through teaching them how to work in the summer when we’re not around,” Sanchez said.

— Sanchez said he hopes to develop enough depth on the offensive line to have nine players in the rotation. That unit has been dealing with injuries this spring, so the Rebels have been able to devote more practice time to reserves.

Injuries were a problem last season as well, so if more players can contribute, the more room for error UNLV will have next season.

“That’s the worst thing is when you’re sitting there and you’ve got one or two games left to go and you’ve got a guy you’re redshirting,” Sanchez said. “Do you play him or do you not? That was the (center) Justice (Oluwaseun) situation last year. You have two or three injuries, and all of the sudden you become really thin. There are going to be injuries. There’s nothing we’re going to be able to do about them.

“You might get lucky and go through a season where you don’t. We’ve had an overwhelming share the last two years, and it really impacted our season. That’s part of our job is to recruit depth, and that’s what this program has lacked forever is depth in a lot of areas.”